


Trading Tales

by sophinisba



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling, The Hobbit - Tolkien
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-11-24
Updated: 2008-11-24
Packaged: 2017-10-05 21:11:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/46072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophinisba/pseuds/sophinisba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bilbo finds a new audience for his favorite tale.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trading Tales

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dreamflower](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamflower/gifts).



Bilbo had grown used to dealing with men and women of other races, first on his great adventure and then in the years he dwelt in the Last Homely House and traded stories with all the travellers who passed through. Still, he couldn't help startling when this great bearded man strode into the Hall. _Like a cross between a Bree-man and a troll_ he thought.

But then Elrond walked up to the guest and greeted him warmly, and the guest smiled and hugged him, and did not quite crush him, and Bilbo started to relax. They ate together, drank together and sang together, and soon enough Bilbo realised that Hagrid, despite his size, was rather more like hobbit than like an Elf or a Man, and as unlike a troll as anyone could be. After the feast they smoked a pipe together, and Bilbo was sure his new friend would enjoy hearing the story of his great journey from the Shire to the Lonely Mountain and back again.

Indeed, Hagrid seemed to enjoy the tale quite a bit, was laughing in all the right places and holding his breath just as the hobbit children did through the riddles in the dark. It was only when Bilbo came to the robbery itself (which had always been the children's favorite part) that Hagrid grunted, and then glowered, and looked just as frightening as when he'd first appeared.

"I'm sorry," said Bilbo, "have I said something wrong?"

"Have you _done_ something wrong, I think that's more the question."

"What, done wrong by the _dragon_?"

"I understand you thought you had a job to do, but do you really think it was right to _steal_ from him?"

"It had stolen all that treasure from the Dwarves in the first place!" said Bilbo. "And besides that, it was trying to kill me!"

"Oh, well, trying to kill you. Maybe he was just trying to defend his home, did you think about that? How would you feel if someone tried to sneak into your little hobbit hole without permission?"

"Gandalf sent me on this adventure, you know. You trust Gandalf, don't you? He is a wizard, after all."

"I've known many a wizard," Hagrid said grimly. "Some of them I'd follow into Mordor if they asked me, and others I wouldn't follow into the Leaky Cauldron. I'm just saying you should think about it from the other guy's point of view."

"Well!" Bilbo huffed, but then he wasn't sure what to add. It didn't seem right, after that, to tell the tale of the slaying of the dragon that usually made his audience cheer. Should he say that Smaug had changed his mind and decided to give Bilbo the treasure as a birthday present?

"Well, you won't believe what happened next," he said, and skipped directly to the Battle of the Five Armies, which unfortunately didn't make much sense without the events that were supposed to lead up to it. Still, Hagrid didn't seem to mind. Forgetting his displeasure of a few moments before, he stomped and whooped and clapped Bilbo on the back, hard enough to knock the wind out of him but with obvious affection.

"That's a fine story!" he said.

"And now let's have one from you," Bilbo said, grinning with relief, as soon as he had enough air to talk again.

"Oh," Hagrid said bashfully, "I never had such big adventures myself."

"Nonsense! You're a travelling man, I imagine you've seen more of the world than little old Bilbo. And you said you've known wizards."

"There is that! I may not be such a hero myself, but I could tell you some stories about the things I've seen. Tell me, master hobbit, have you ever heard of the wizard named Harry Potter?"


End file.
